The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-07-28
ABOUT spELLtNd REFORM.

The Now American Method tho Coming
lEli4 Language OF Civilization. K
Chicago 7lwts h. 3:
The conviction is rapidly establishing
itself that English "aa she is spelled" in.
wolves a vast amount OF useless and 70.
dundant labor. Figures have not yet
been furnished by the ingenious statisti.
clan In regard to the loss Of time necessl.
tated by the use Of the form Of spelling
now in vogue; that II would be astonish.
Ing there Ia no reason to doubt. It Ia as.
sorted, for instance, by those who have
given the matter study tina. child will
cave two years in learning to read, write
and speak form OF English which spells
with strict reference 10 the sounds Of
worls. Il SIS g4.
Here are two yeara saved at the very
outset oil lie, and 1t may be, when one
considers the amount OF time that would
be economical in latter ycara In the writ
ing Of letters and books, and In all other
directions, that many another year would
be added to the amount gained in the
primary ecboofs. To spell words eofaIy
with reference 10 their sound would ma.
serially reduce the sizs Of printed matter.
The newspaper, fono.ically printed, could
add largely to its contents without any
increase Of rpace, or 1t could continue to
afford ito present average Of matter in
much less space, thus saving paper and
coat OF composition. A rough estimate
would be that spelling according to sound
would economics from one.htth to one
third Of the tins and space now occupied
in writing and printing the English Ian
guage. Is 5egi!5I @
These facts are being forced on tho at.
ten.ion Of the people, and sttempta at re-.
form in spelling are being made. Period.
icala are being started for the advocacy OF
the eimplihcation Of the language and a
great association has been organized 10 aid
in attaining the came end. There is ne
body with Its headquarters in the q )
which Includes many OF the mostsmia.
scholars, teachers and linguists in til.
country, as well as several newspapers
aud periodicals. Even in conservative
Britain there ia awakening conscious
ness that the Language is far from perfect,
and that changes may he made to it's ad.
vantage. When an Eaglishman agrees
that his vernacular is faulty the fact must
be admitted as having been established,
The Times heartily favors the attempt
at reforming the! Htrocious orthography
characteristic Of English, and concerning
which Bulscr truthiully said: "a mors
roundabout, lying, pnzsle.headed delus.
ion than that by which We confuse the
clear instincts OF truth in our eccureed
system ofspslliog was never concocted BY
the father OF falsenood.n In favoring the
reform this journal wishes to express the
the conviction that II successful it would
only be on this continent; II it should
ever be adopted in England 1t would only
BIZ at the end otseeveral additional cen.
suries. The Times would, therefore, ad.
wise that tho new style Of reform should
be made q specially in this country,
and that its results be termed the Ameri.
can language. f7ls5;l, S3'f.i
There are many REASONS why the new
result Bhonld be recognised as distinctive.
ly American. 1t is among Americans
that the agitation has its largest develop.
ment; it is a something which Is in accord
| with our National characteristics ia that
1t offers the shortest route 10 reach Il
given point; It is rapid; 1t Is adaptive to
swift action and to the nature OF people
who have no special regard for the an.
Gent. The English people have none o;
thia haste, this unwillingness to waste
lime, this disrespeot Tor time.honored in
situations. The TACT that his father did a
certain thing in given way is ample rea.
son why IN Englishman should exactly
follow his exsmple. -
Does anybody who comprehends the
devotion OF the Bfi!on to the old, the es.
tsblished, ever suppose Tor u moment that
ne would consent to write OF the Temz In
place Of the Thamea, or Calhoun instead
| Of Colquhoun, Coburn in place of Cock.
burn, or Beechein in lieu oil Beauchsmp 7
| The inae1ibiiity Of the English and
! their devotion to precedent render almoa.
wholly useless any miesionary work on
the part OF the apel!ing.retorm societies
Such work should bo limited TO this coun.
try. There Ia already the bssis oil an
American language on which can DO erect.
cd the ionetic anuc!Ite. The American
language Ia daily diverging rapidly from
the English and tho time 10 coming when
he respective representatives Of the two
Will not be able to comprehend each
other, Even now 1t Ia dlilicnlt for the
t'Americsn to understand more than frac
tional part Of the English language Of
spoken in various parta OF Great Britain
Let us ingraft ionetics Ia the American
language and We will then very soon have
tho only logical, natural, flexible, ant
sasily'learned language in the world. ltt
naiurslneaB and simplicity would soor
recommend Ito other peoples, and in {
century or lea It would be the language
Of civilization, w.. 80 :